Natilie Maines, the provocateuress of the Dixie Chicks, recently gave an interview to the UK Telegraph. In it she speaks about the problem she has with patriotism in the United States of America. Speaking aboaut other country singers who wrote songs in support of American sentiments of flag and country (and mom and apple pie), she opines:
"A lot of pandering started going on, and you'd see soldiers and the American flag in every video. It became a sickening display of ultra-patriotism."
"The entire country may disagree with me, but I don't understand the necessity for patriotism," Maines resumes, through gritted teeth. "Why do you have to be a patriot? About what? This land is our land? Why? You can like where you live and like your life, but as for loving the whole country… I don't see why people care about patriotism."
Ms Maines captures the essence of western post-modernism when she says "I don't see why people care about patriotism." Surely the irony of her words are lost on the verbose singer. The very culture that allows her such freedom of speech, that affords her the opportunity to become wealthy as a song writer, that acknowledges her rights and freedoms as a woman, that . . . . well, you get the picture . . . that land is, at least, deserving of her gratitude.Perhaps she thinks that patriotism is gingoism or chauvinism. And there are certainly alot of folks who are both of the latter. But, even if one does not like the war or the current administration, surely the constitutional democracy that has allowed her life to be launched into stardom deserves some recognition and some thankfulness. A country that protects her property rights enables her to control her songs and make money from them. A country that increasingly acknowledges the rights of women gives her a platform to speak about things she is not qualified to speak about. A country that many people died to make possible has acknowledged in its constitution her inalienable rights as a human being. So, a little gratitude might be in order, even if she does not love the whole country.
But then again (back to post-modernism), she represents the thinking of a lot of people who are incapable of admiting that their lives have been made possible by the culture and country they live in. She and many others feel no sense of appropriate dependence on history or on others. The think they live in mid-air, I guess. Or they are deluded into thinking that they are so incredibly talented or special that their lives would be wonderful no matter where they had been born.
If The Dixie Chicks want to be a "citizens of the world" rather than acknowledge their debt to the country that has made their life possible, they could at least establish some credibility if they would go to Sudan and care for the orphans or speak out against the mistreatment of women in Saudi Arabia or endeavor to help Aids victims in Africa by speaking out against the cultural practices of a continent that treats women like property to be passed along or inherited.
But instead we are treated to lines like this, from Ms Maines' co-Chick, Emily Robison, commenting on the crash of The Chicks popularity after Ms Maines infamous public statements about the war and President Bush.
"A lot of artists cashed in on being against what we said or what we stood for because that was promoting their career, which was a horrible thing to do."I guess though, since they are still "chicks" and not yet mature women, one can be amused at their self-obsession..
2 comments:
Well done, Steve. Perhaps moving to Sudan -- changing citizenship --would enlighten one on why one might love one's own country, a love easily merited by all of the reasons you outlined. Loving one's country is like loving one's mother, only less innate. No wonder loss of one engenders loss of the other.
Enjoying your site. BTW, was 200 yards from your house on Sunday afternoon but simply could not stop. We were en route to Kosciusko with the KMBC group and on a too tight schedule. Wanted to show the Seminary property to the group.
I thought God in Christ made their lives and ours possible...
Your line of reasoning here sounds an awful lot like that which is denounced in the Barmen Declaration. You should read it sometime, and then see how you feel about patriotism/nationalism. Which, BTW, there is no separating for people who live in the new Rome. Why don't you just say "shut up Dixie Chicks! It's time to recognize the Caesar is lord." ???
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